Section 31
by Diana Leto
Summary: AU After Commander Tucker's supposed death aboard the Enterprise his real mission begins. TnT. Continuing story.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Morning After

Trip awoke to the sound of a faint beeping. He could still smell burnt hair and seared flesh. He slowly sat up, every muscle fighting this action. He winced as the muscles over his abdomen spasmed in pain and effort. He should be grateful he felt anything at all. He was a dead man. When Malcolm had approached him about this assignment he hadn't quite believed that it would work. He was scared as hell about what lay ahead and he was still convinced that he was going to die. The faint beeping continued and he glanced to his left where the console was lit up. He reached across his body with his right hand, wincing again at the pain, and depressed the glowing white light.

"Yeah?" He said, his voice hoarse from the damage to his esophagus.

"Commander, report to medical bay 4 on deck 3 immediately." The communication was ended there.

Trip groaned and moved off of the bed and toward the door. He caught his reflection in the mirror by the door. He stopped and took a good look at himself. His hair was was no longer blonde having been stained by smoke. His left cheek was red and covered in mottled skin that was still healing from the plasma burns that had "killed" him. _Damn, _he thought, _I'm a heck of a looker. _He sighed and walked out into the corridor. He followed the map on the wall and made his way to deck 3. He found the medical bay after walking only a few meters. He entered the bay and searched out a familiar face. Trip wasn't sure what they wanted from him. He hadn't even had time to shower since his death. They kept him so busy doing debriefing and training, keeping so busy that sleep was barely attainable and bathing became something of a fantasy. As he stood there he felt very vulnerable and exhausted.

From behind Trip heard a man clear his throat. "Commander, thank you for coming. Please have a seat on the nearest bio-bed." Trip turned to see Harris standing behind him. His steely, unemotional face staring at Trip. Ever since Section 31 approached Trip about working undercover Harris had always been there to scare the crap out of him. No one seemed to take in account that he had just left behind the woman he loved, the best friends he's ever had, and his entire life. Trip had worked so hard to become the Chief Engineer on _Enterprise_, these damned people hadn't even given him time to adjust…. or grieve.

Trip walked over and sat on the nearest bio-bed just as he had been instructed. One of the nurse all clad in white came over and began scanning him with some handheld device that made a faint humming sound. He'd never seen anything like it and had to resist the urge to ask for one to dismantle. He wasn't an engineer anymore, now he was a spy. _Why the hell do they want me? I'm no spy. Malcolm should be doin' this, not me. _The nurse pulled away after she scanned Trip's head with a puzzled look. She gave Harris a look and he walked to the side with her. Their hushed conversation had Trip feeling pretty nervous. _Great now that I've committed to this thing, given up my whole life, they're going to tell me that I'm the wrong person. All of this is for nothing. _

Harris is walking over to him now, Trip let out the great he didn't know he was holding. "Well Commander it looks like you are quite the unique individual." Trip raised one questioning eyebrow, a trait he had picked up from T'Pol. Harris smirked, "How long have you been bonded to a Vulcan?"

Trip masked his surprise well. "I don't know what you mean." Even as he said it he knew it wasn't worth denying what was apparently obvious to the nurse and her scans.

"Commander Tucker, your neural scans show increased brain activity that match the activity found in bonded Vulcans. I'm guessing that your relationship with Commander T'Pol is much more personal than a torrid affair that ended with the death of your unexpected child."

Trip sighed. "You might be right. Why does it matter"

"It makes your mate a liability. Can we trust her."

"T'Pol is the most trustworthy person I've ever met. She won't blow the whistle on this thing. You can count on that." Harris seemed to be taking him in, appraising him. Trip felt like a fish in a barrel.

"Good. I'm assuming because of this bomb she knows that you are alive."

"Yes. It's unavoidable. She was going to know so I told her one week before and swore her to secrecy. She's the only one who knows about it. She won't tell anyone unless told otherwise or if she deems it logical. Which, for my safety she won't."

"Now that that's settled and out in the open, lets begin with your facial reconstruction. Since you're so fond of Vulcans, you shouldn't find these changes too difficult to cope with." That was the last thing Trip heard as the nurse he hadn't seen approach hypo-sprayed him and he gently drifted off into the darkness. He could feel T'Pol at the back of him mind and the deeper into the dark he went the more she blossomed. Then suddenly he was surrounded by white. _She must be meditating. _She was sitting in front of him with her legs crossed in her usual position. Trip approached silently and put a hand out to her. She reached up, eyes still closed, and pulled him toward her. Trip allowed her to hold him and just held her back. He stroked her hair.

"Don't worry darlin', I'll be fine. I love you." He felt her shake with emotion. "T'Pol I will come home to you, I promise."

She nodded and let out a sigh, a trait she had picked up from Trip. "I love you too. I just…" she held back, her voice rough with emotion, "I do not know what to do without you. Earth is not the same without you here. Your family is mourning you, I want to tell them, but I will not. Just, do not take too long to come back." She reached up and caressed his cheek.

"I'll be home as soon as I can." He smiled and leaned in and kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Different Mirror

Trip awoke with a slight tingling feeling on his ears. The fuzziness of drug-induced sleep slipped away as the real world rushed in. Trip said one last goodbye to T'Pol through their bond. Sending love and courage her way, he felt a rush of the same from her and smiled. Trip sat up slowly and took in his surroundings. He felt like he could hear just about everything. The tingling on his ears turned into a slight itch and he reached up to scratch his right ear.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The familiar British accent reached his highly aware ears and be swung his head around to see Malcolm Reed staring at him. "You might want to let them heal a little before you go scratching your new ears."

Trip grimaced. "Right. Any chance you have a mirror I can take a look into?" Malcolm moved towards a counter and picked up a handheld mirror and passed it to Trip. Trip slowly lifted until he could see his whole head. The gasp he took was sharp and painful. He didn't even recognize himself, not really. Vaguely he wondered how Malcolm had recognized him. The man starring back at him was not someone he recognized and yet there was a faint trace of the human beneath the Vulcan. The bright blue eyes shone true and hinted at mischief as they had for most of Trip's life. The rest of the face had taken on the angular shape of a VUlcan and his ears curved up to a point. It was unnerving to look into a mirror and see a stranger looking back. Through his bond with T'Pol he could feel concern from him and confusion. He knew that his fear and disgust were effecting her and she didn't know what was happening to him. He took a steadying breath like the ones T'Pol had taught him to take and focused on the eyes. No matter how long he looked like that he wouldn't forget who he was because he would always be looking at the universe with those eyes.

* * *

T'Pol took a steadying breath. She could tell that Trip was uncomfortable and she didn't know why. She didn't feel pain or anger from him so she assumed he was well. _It is illogical to dwell on the unknown or what might be. _She looked up from the conference table she was sitting at and glanced around. The room was filled with a giant conference table the was circular in shape and had a hole in the center. Each seat was filled with a delegate from a different world or system who were part of the negations for the forming of the Federation of Planets. Denobulans, Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, Tellerites, Orions, were just a few of the species represented here. Right now President Samuels was droning on about something related to trading agreements near the Orion Syndicate's wasn't well informed about nor particularly interested in the subject so she once again turned her thoughts inward.

She focused on the little ball of light at the base of her skull. She opened it up and let it blossom. Suddenly she felt very warm and very nauseous. She couldn't tell if it was her or Trip who was feeling this and it was overwhelming. She braced herself on the table and took steadying breaths. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Phlox looking down on her with concern. She shook her head to answer his question. _What is happening? I feel unwell, but is it me or is it Trip? Is he hurt? Is he dying? What am I going to do? _That last question barely crossed her mind before the darkness enveloped her. T'Pol's body went limp and gently fell into the waiting arms of Doctor Phlox. The rest of the assembled watched in either mild interest, concern, or in the case of the crew of the _Enterprise, _horror.

* * *

He quickly pulled out his medical tricorder and began scanning T'Pol for any sign of what was happening to her. Her brain activity was low, as if she had just entered a sleep cycle but her body temperature was above average by 2.75 centigrade. Her digestive enzymes had begun mass producing causing what he would consider strong nausea and she was perspiring in a cold sweat. Phlox had the emergency personnel rush her to the nearest medical bay and he hastened after them. Whatever was happening to her was like nothing he had seen before. Once he arrived in the medical bay he sighed in relief to see a Vulcan doctor on call. Doctor P'Lar would know more about Vulcan physiology and possible recognize what is happening to T'Pol. On the journey to the medical bay she had begun to convulse. Suddenly Doctor Phlox wondered if she was reacting to the severed bond with Commander Tucker. It was delayed but perhaps she had simply been suppressing it. It wouldn't surprise him at all if that was the case. T'Pol had been know to hold back on her naturally heightened P'Lar to examine T'Pol before he approached.

"Tell me doctor, have you ever seen anything like this before?" He tried to keep a professional sound to his voice but his words caught at the end. He suppressed the urge to panic and waited for the reply.

"No doctor, I have never seen this in a Vulcan. It reminds me of a condition humans suffered after the third world war. Often pregnant women who suffered from radiation exposure would have episodes like this. However, Commander T'Pol is neither human nor bonded so it seems illogical to assume she is suffering of some form of radiation pregnancy. I will need to continue performing tests on the commander to determine what is happening to her."

"Doctor, you should know that T'Pol is bonded." Phlox wasn't sure how to introduce this revelation to P'Lar but he knew it was important. "Commander T'Pol was, until his recent death, bonded to Commander Tucker." P'Lar raised an eyebrow at this new information.

"In light of this information I will need to change how I approach her treatment. However, we have scanned T'Pol's brain and have located no scar tissue associated with a broken bond. Are you certain they were bonded?"

"Positive." Phlox was confused by this. T'Pol and Commander Tucker had clearly been bonded for over six years.

"Then perhaps this Commander Tucker is not dead. We will wait until Commander T'Pol regains consciousness and ask her. Of course doctor, if he is alive and that is supposed to be private information then we will simply need to keep it confidential according to doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Of course." What was happening? Why would Commander Tucker fake his death? Why wouldn't T'Pol tell him?

* * *

T'Pol awoke from a deep sleep with a slight pressure in her forehead and the faint taste of bile in her mouth. She slowly sat up on the bio-bed and took in her surroundings. She could feel a light pressure in her left ear and her hearing on that side was muted. The room she was in was completely white and held a window on one wall and a door on the opposite. Her bed and the counter across from it were the only furnishings. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. It must have been to quickly because she immediately fell to the ground and a sharp cry of pain escaped her mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Into the Woods

Trip struggled to breathe as he took in his surroundings. The cylinder-block walls and concrete floor were a dull grey and he could hear a faint hum coming from the light flickering in the ceiling. He felt like he was in a 21st century cop movie. The interrogation room, that's what it is, was furnished with a metal table and two metal chairs on either side of it. The far wall had a mirror, which no doubt was one way, and the door had no handle on the inside, only a speaker box next to it with a red button. Trip gingerly sat up holding his left ribs and wincing as a fresh wave of pain hit him. The world spun and he felt nauseous, he drew in another racking breath. _What the hell did they give me? _He reached into his mind and could feel T'Pol there, she was in pain. He went deeper. _She unconscious. Dammit, whatever they gave me must be affecting her. Way to go Trip, you make a lousy Vulcan and now you're killing your mate. Bang up job Tucker. _Trip sighed. There was nothing he could do. He silently sent calm and affection to T'Pol hoping it would help somehow and then turned his attention onto his own situation.

He didn't move, he just mentally assessed his situation trying his best to put up the best Vulcan façade. He slowly pulled his legs under him and assumed the meditative pose T'Pol had taught him. He slowed his breathing and focused on the task at hand. Harris was testing him again, trying to determine if he could maintain cover while under duress. They started by drugging him with something that caused him to have seizures and gave him a hell of a bloody nose. Once those symptoms passed he was given only 30 minutes and 14.5 seconds to rest. His internal clock was more accurate now that he was mated to a Vulcan. _Amazing the perks that come with falling in love with such an amazing woman._ Trip nearly smiled at that thought but suppressed the urge. He was a Vulcan now, and Vulcans don't smile. When he was done "resting" they pulled him out and best the stuffin' out of him. Then threw him in here. He had held up well while they were "testing" him last. He didn't cry out in pain until the very end, and didn't show nearly as much emotion or discomfort as he wanted to. His training and years of essentially being married to a woman who was trained in emotional suppression had prepared him well.

Trip stood up barely feeling his broken rib and walked over to the table. He began inspecting it's structure and when he confirmed it had been cast completely out of metal and had no screws or other materials he could use as a weapon he moved onto the chair. It was the same as the table, cast in a mold, and completely sound. Trip moved over to the speaker box on the wall and removed its cover. The wiring system was one he had never seen before but he looked at it with his well-trained engineers eyes and began formulating a possible means of escape using the wiring system in from of him. Trip didn't want his captors to know he was already able to escape and so made the best quizzical Vulcan face he could, one eyebrow raised and mouth drawn tight, and moved over to the mirror.

He couldn't tell if anyone was behind the mirror but he would bet good money that there was and would have won. Harris starred at Trip with curiosity. This engineer turned agent was surpassing everyone's expectations. He had made a convincing Vulcan in every test they had put him through and now he was sure that Tucker was just buying time until he made his already planned escape. _This kid is brilliant. Just what we need. _

Harris turned to a blonde woman standing at his side observing TUcker and taking notes on his progress. "Petrovsky, once Tucker has made his escape, which will no doubt be brilliant and successful, send him to my office. On second thought, send him to medical and then have him come to my office. I think it's time he was given his mission."

She turned away from Tucker only briefly. "Yes sir."

* * *

Phlox walked into the small apartment at Starfleet Command. T'Pol was sitting on the sofa reading a PADD and drinking a cup of tea. She looked well rested and fully recovered after her apparent drug overdose a week ago. Phlox was still perplexed as to how she could experience a drug overdose through the bond she shared with Commander Tucker.

"How are you today T'Pol hmm? Doing better?"

She looked up from the PADD and almost looked happy to see him. "Doctor Phlox it is agreeable to see you." If he hadn't known better he would say she was smiling. She seemed to notice his observation and turned a light shade of green as the blush rushed to her face. "Trip is happy today and it seems to be affecting me. I apologize if the show of emotion is unsettling." She motioned for him to sit in an arm chair next to her.

"No it isn't unsettling at all, in fact it's rather pleasing. I heard you were offered a position at Starfleet Academy as an instructor. Have you thought about accepting?"

"I have considered all of the options and thought about where Trip and I will be when he returns from his mission. I am unsure what Starfleet will do with him or if he will be able to regain his identity. As I see it, staying here on Earth and instructing at Starfleet Academy is the most logical choice. Trip and I discussed in length after he was offered this opportunity about what I would do while he was gone. We decided together that I should do what felt right at the time. This position at Starfleet Academy feels right, for now." She took a slow sip of her tea and looked at Phlox.

"I am pleased to hear you will be staying here. I am also staying on Earth for the time being. My wife Feezal is working at Starfleet Medical and I am to join her. We are updating Starfleet medical database and I will be doing some instructing of my own while I'm here." Phlox smiled a big Denobulan smile and looked at the PADD that laid on the seat next to T'Pol. "What are you working on?"

She looked down at the PADD and back at Phlox, something told him that she didn't want to talk about it. She sighed. _That's new, when did T'Pol start sighing?_ Finally T'Pol sat up straighter and answered him. "I have been reviewing the alternate Phlox's research into Vulcan/Human hybridization. That coupled with your work on baby Elizabeth has been quite enlightening." Phlox was surprised.

"Are you hoping to conceive a child?" It was a simple question with a not so simple answer.

"Trip and I have waited to have children because of our commissions with Starfleet and our positions on _Enterprise_. Now that we are no longer serving on the same ship we see no reason to put off having a family. Starfleet Command already has samples of Trips sperm stored away for this very purpose as is standard procedure."

"And when will you be having this child?"

T'Pol looked uncomfortable and discontinued eye-contact with him. "Trip wants me to have a baby as soon as I can. He says there is no guarantee that he will survive this mission and he doesn't want me to lose this opportunity at family because of him."

"But you feel differently." It wasn't a question. The fact that "Trip wants" came out of her mouth said it all.

"I do indeed. I cannot deny the logic of his argument. There is indeed no reason to wait to have a child. However, I know that Trip will want to be present for everything involved in the pregnancy and delivery. He may miss it all just because we are not sure if he will survive his mission. I can wait to have children until he returns, I am not in a hurry."

She still didn't seem convinced of the situation herself, Phlox could see that. "That's not all T'Pol. What else are you feeling?" Suddenly Phlox was switching into his psychologist mode.

"I want Trip here. I know it isn't logical but I find everyday life has become tedious without him. I often forget that he isn't here and search for him in a crowded room, or think of something I wish to discuss with him. The idea of having a part of Trip here with me, isn't unappealing. I am unsure of what to do Doctor. Do you have any advice?"

Phlox thought about it, T'Pol rarely asked for advice. The answer wasn't easily arrived at but once he thought of it, it seemed so clear. "T'Pol, if Commander Tucker wishes you to have a child now, and you also wish to have a child then I see no reason why you shouldn't begin the process of conceiving. I can help by continuing my research and no doubt the resources available here will be a great help to that research."

"You are right Doctor, thank you. It does seem like the correct course of action to take. I look forward to hearing from you regarding the research. I would appreciate it if this was kept private." She handed him the PADD.

He grabbed it and they both held it for a second. "Of course." He smiled a big Denobulan smile and then left her apartment.

* * *

_6 months later_

Trip was running now, as fast as he could. His breathing was ragged and he could feel his heart pounding in his ears. The brush and trees reached out and smacked him in the face and cut at his hands and arms as he ran from his pursuers. He kept running towards the sound of the river and glanced back quickly to check if he was still being pursued. The small beams of light bouncing in the woods behind him was all the motivation he needed to keep going.

The bank of the river met him quickly and he rough stones under his feet made it impossible to run. He stopped and collected himself. By his calculations he had 4.5 seconds until his pursuers were upon him. The river rushed by at a deadly speed. He wouldn't be able to swim across, the undertow would have him almost immediately and he would drown. To the left there was more dark wilderness and to his right was a sheer wall of stone. Trip immediately ran to the left and entered the tree line. He didn't go far into the woods and stayed close to the bank. The Orions who were chasing him would arrive soon and he had a plan to get them off his tail. Trip found a large boulder and rested it on his right shoulder preparing to throw it into the water as soon as the Orions were in sight. If all went well they would assume he jumped into the water and had drowned. Not his best plan but this was the best he had at the moment.

The five Orion smugglers rushed up to the river's edge and stopped looking around. They began yelling at each other in their language and Trip one again wished for a universal translator chip or earbud. The opportunity to throw his big rock had come and he felt absolutely stupid. _Is this really going to work? __If it does then these Orions are dumber than they look. _He lobbed his rock into the river and their eyes focused on the spot the rock had splashed down. One of them, probably the leader, pointed to that area in the river and cursed loudly. His subordinate closest to him caught the full measure of his anger and the full force of his fist. They moved away from the river bank and dissolved into the woods again. Trip sent a silent prayer to the cosmos for giving him one more day and then disappeared as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Decisions, Decisions

Earth

T'Pol was sitting patiently on the edge of the bio-bed in Starfleet Medical waiting for Doctor Phlox to arrive with the information he contacted her about. To those who observed her she seemed like a calm, emotionless Vulcan but on the inside she felt nervous. Trip had been blocking the bond and had pushed it until it became nothing more than a dull feeling at the base of her skull. The fact that he was hiding something from her made her nervous. The information Doctor Phlox had contacted her about could be nothing else but information about conceiving a child. That made her even more nervous. This was becoming too real for her too quickly. A decision would need to be made soon. The rustling of the curtain behind her told her that Phlox had arrived. Her posture became more rigid as she forced control over her emotions.

"Ah T'Pol, I am glad you could come in today, I hope I didn't interrupt your schedule." He smiled a big Denobulan smile as he awaited her response.

"Not at all Doctor, I have been spending these weeks traveling earth and taking in the sights. I have been collecting images for Trip. He will want pictures of earth to decorate our home on Vulcan. I assume that the reason you have called me here today is because you have discovered a way to safely combine my DNA and Trip's."

"You are correct. I am pleased to tell you that you can conceive a child at anytime you wish. We can employ multiple processes to secure a pregnancy for you and Mr. Tucker. You will ask be able to carry more than one pregnancy to term." T'pol had not thought that more than one pregnancy would be possible, the idea of having more than one child had never occurred to her. This was not a displeasing idea. Even if Trip missed this pregnancy he could be present for any future pregnancies they may want.

"Thank you Doctor. How soon can we begin the process?"

"We can begin tomorrow if you wish. I will simply need to get all of the materials prepared and collect the necessary staff."

"Thank you, I would like to begin the process tomorrow. When should I arrive here?" Her nerves were becoming more and more difficult to mask but under them all she felt something much more pleasant. This feeling of joy, love, excitement, and happiness permeated her body and shot through the bond.

"Be here tomorrow morning at 10:00. I must ask you not to eat or drink anything for 12 hours before the procedure."

T'Pol slid off of the bio-bed and nodded her head at Phlox. "Thank you doctor. I have several messages to send and some arrangements to make. I will see you in the morning."

Vulcan

Trip walked through the Human Sector and nodded at the few humans he recognized there. When T'Pau had requested his presence at the High Council's office he wasn't sure what she wanted. T'Pau was aware of who he really was and may even want to use him as an agent. The doors opened and admitted him into T'Pau's office. The marble-like floors and the stone desk brought a sense of antiquity to the office. The wall monitors and the faint hum of technology stood in contrast to the stoic Vulcan feeling of the entire building.

"Minister, you wished to see me?" Trip controlled his inflections and marveled at his ability to suppress his emotions and his accent. If only T'Pol could hear him now, she would probably laugh in her own special way.

"Yes Mister Voras I have an important matter to talk to you about." She nodded to the attendants and they left them alone in the room. Trip had picked the name Voras because it sounded similar to foras which meant "I am play-acting" he thought it was appropriate and also kind of funny. He very name told people he was a fraud but no one seemed to notice.

"Mister Voras, I am aware that you are actually a Section 31 operative hoping to prevent the selling of Coalition technology to the Romulan's. I am also aware that you are not actually Vulcan but a human. I have been informed that you are thought to be the recently deceased Commander Charles Tucker III. Is all of this information correct?" She raised her right eyebrow in question.

"Yes ma'am your information is all correct. However, I am a Vulcan citizen and therefore I have a particular interest in keeping Earth and Vulcan technology out of Romulan hands."

"I have been informed of your recent marriage to Lady T'Pol. Congratulations on your marriage and welcome to Vulcan. The reason I have called you here today is because I would like to aid you in tour investigation and I would also request your assistance. In front of you is a PADD that contains the information of the assignment I have for you. You may keep that PADD, it has been programmed to only allow you and myself access. You need only put your thumb on the bottom to unlock it. You are dismissed." She didn't even wait for him to accept the assignment. She knew he wouldn't say no, she knew he couldn't say no.

He stood up and raised his hand in the ta'al. "Live long and prosper Minister."

She raised her hand and returned the ta'al. "Peace and long life Voras."

* * *

2 months later

T'Pol walked through the front door of her family home on Vulcan. She placed her bags in the entry way and observed the living room. There were several pads on the table by the couch and the smell of plomeek soup permeated the air. As she moved further into the house she picked up his scent. _Trip is here. _She could hardly contain her excitement. She grabbed her bags and deposited them in the bedroom noticing his belongings stored away and put in place. She traveled from room to room looking for him but couldn't find him. She finally sat down on the couch, pulled out a PADD to read and decided to wait. He had been blocking her through the bond so she was unable to tell him that she was home. _It will simply be a surprise then._ She placed her right hand over her lower abdomen and smiled in her own way.

The sound of the front gate opening sent a jolt of anticipation through her and she stood up and moved to the center of the room. The front door swung in and revealed a Vulcan man who only slightly resembled Trip. T'Pol was confused, this was not what she was expecting. He put down the cloth bag he was carrying and rushed towards her. Before she could prepare herself she was in his arms and he was kissing her. She could feel the bond surging at his touch and could smell that distinctly Trip smell. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. When he finally pulled away he was smiling a very human smile. She rested her head against his chest as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"T'Pol I wasn't expecting to see you. I can't believe you're here. I so glad you're here, I've missed you more than anything." He looked down at her and kissed the top of her head. He then slid his hand down and grabbed hers. "Come on, dinner is done and I made your favorite broth." He smiled as he led her into the kitchen.

As they ate they talked about everything that had happened since he had "died" and how many people knew he was still alive. He told her what T'Pau had asked him to do and she told him about Phlox staying on earth and the job Starfleet had offered her. They slowly let down their barriers and let the bond flow freely between them. Trip had a big spoonful of soup in his mouth when he swallowed it quickly and looked at T'Pol, a giant smile spread across his face. She couldn't resist the urge to smile back to him.

"You're pregnant." It wasn't a question, he knew. He could feel it somehow through the bond.

T'Pol nodded, "Yes, I am 7 weeks 3 days pregnant. We are going to be parents." She was so happy she could tell him and that he would be there for the pregnancy. She would never admit it but she was scared to be alone through this process. No child like theirs had ever been born so no one knew what to expect. He quickly rushed from his side of the table and held her tightly in his arms.

"Oh darlin' I'm so excited." He smiled down at her safely in his arms and kissed her firmly on the mouth. It was the first time they'd kissed once their barriers had been dropped and the shared sensation of love, excitement, and desire were nearly overwhelming. Their dinner was totally forgotten as they moved towards their bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: An Apple a Day

Trip/Voras walked brusquely into the Vulcan High Council chambers and calmly asked the attendant at the desk to alert Minister T'Pau of his arrival. The attendant inclined his head and asked him to take a seat while he waited to be summoned by T'Pau. Voras, he needed to think of himself as Voras now, nodded curtly and took a seat on one of the uncomfortable stone benches that were available for the few visitors to the High Council. _You would think people who spend a large portion of their days sittin' on the ground meditatin' they would have more comfortable chairs. Yeah right. They probably consider comfort to be illogical. Well, T'Pol doesn't, but she's hardly a normal Vulcan. _He inwardly smiled as he thought of his wife. She was probably still in bed. She had been needing more and more sleep lately as her pregnancy progressed. _I'm going to be a dad in four months. I never thought this would happen. _The thoughts going through his mind made it dangerously difficult for him to maintain control over his facial features. _I need to focus. T'Pau asked me to help with this eight months ago. I didn't expect it to take such little time to discover who was responsible for leaking classified warp drive schematics to the Romulans. As it turns out not everyone in the new High Council was as enlightened or loyal as we were led to believe. _

"Men-hilsu Voras" Investigator Voras. "Minister T'Pau will see you now." Trip stood up and made his way through the double doors and into the minister's office.

T'Pau looked up from a PADD in her hand and gestured to the chair in front of her desk. "Investigator, have a seat." 'Voras' complied and took the seat with a nod. "I understand that you have information for me regarding the arrangement we have made."

"Yes minister. I have here a PADD with all of the information you need regarding our, arrangement, and will thus terminate our arrangement as per the agreed upon terms." 'Voras' handed T'Pau the aforementioned PADD and awaited dismissal. He really wanted to get home and begin preparing the noontime meal before T'Pol overexerted herself again. The last time he was away from home during the meal preparation time he came home to find her winded and sweating over a post of plomeek soup.

"I have reviewed our original terms and believe that you have indeed fulfilled your part of our agreement. I will now fulfill my part of the agreement. Your marriage to Lady T'Pol is officially recognized and you are now a citizen of Vulcan. Your child, which will be born on Vulcan, will hold both Vulcan and Earth citizenship. I find it curious that this is your only demand considering the great risk you have taken. "

The words barely registered with Trip. He could hardly believe that T'Pau had managed to do what he had asked. Her implied question hung in the air for a few moments before Trip answered. "It is all I desired." He nearly smiled. I'm officially married! I'm going to be a dad! T'Pol is going to be so excited!

T'Pau inclined her head and stood. This signaled is dismissal and so 'Voras' stood as well and offered the ta'al. "Live long and prosper Minister T'Pau."

She returned the gestured. "Peace and long life Men-hilsu Voras." He nodded and turned away quickly walking out of the office and towards the transport that would take him home to his wife and unborn child.

* * *

"Welcome home t'hy'la I was about to prepare our noontime meal." Trip walked into the door and kissed his wife on the cheek. She looked well rested but he could tell that the pregnancy was taking a toll on her body. She wasn't standing up as straight and her skin wasn't a bronze at it usually was.

"No adun'a, I will prepare the meal. Perhaps you would like to send an invitation to Soval inviting him to our home for dinner tomorrow night while I prepare our meal?" He smiled charmingly down at her knowing that she would put up a fight.

"Very well." She nearly sighed aloud. Trip could sense resignation and fatigue through the bond. She turned to walk toward the communications terminal on the other side of the room. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ashayam, what is wrong? Are you feeling well?" His concern was evident not just in his words but in his tone. He felt surprise through the bond. T'Pol turned around and placed a hand on Trips left cheek and one on her fairly large stomach.

"Do not worry Trip, I am only tired. I believe that this is a normal development in pregnancy. I have already left a message for Dr. Phlox. He is currently serving aboard a medical transport en route to Vulcan. I have asked that he visit when he arrives to perform a check-up. I will let you know when he is to arrive so you may be present when the examination takes place." She looked up into his eyes. He knew she was worried about the baby. He was worried about the baby.

"Alright T'Pol, but if anything happens between then and now you must promise me that you will seek help from a Vulcan physician." He gave her a serious blue-eyed stare. She acquiesced almost immediately.

"I will agree to that. However, they will undoubtedly find it difficult to treat me or our child. They will have no experience with a Vulcan/Human fetus, nor with a Vulcan carrying such a child to term. Phlox is the only one who has intimate knowledge of our unique situation. Though I would prefer to only allow him to examine and treat me I will not risk our son's life nor my own. I promise Trip, I will do all I can to keep him safe." She closed her eyes struggling to maintain control of her emotions.

"I know darlin' I know." He pulled her into the best hug he could considering just how pregnant T'Pol was. He kissed the top of her head and felt her relax in his arms. The feeling of love radiated through the bond and he broke the embrace. "Now adun'a go and extend the invitation and then join me in the kitchen. We need to talk about some good news I received today. We can chat while I make us lunch." He smile down at her warmly and watched as she nodded and moved back towards the communications terminal.

* * *

"Welcome to our home Doc!" Trip smiled as he opened the door for Phlox.

"Thank you _Mister Voras._" Phlox emphasized the last two words to indicate that he thought the ruse should be upheld. He was simply met with laughter from Trip.

"You don't have to address me that way in my own home Doc. We don't have any neighbors within earshot and a security device is affixed to the roof that only allows transmissions with a verified transmission code to go through. No one is spying on us Phlox, we're all safe here. You can just call me Trip." He smiled a big smile which was oddly pleasing on his otherwise Vulcan face. "T'Pol's in the kitchen fixin' some tea, would you like some? She's been drinkin' iced tea like it's going out of style for the last two weeks." He just chuckled.

"Thank you Trip that would be lovely." He watched as Trip nodded and then his gaze turned more inward and he smile.

"She's got it." He smiled gesturing towards the sofa. 'Have a seat."

After a quiet afternoon spent with Trip and T'Pol catching up about Phlox's family and what several of the _Enterprise_ crew were doing now that the ship had been decommissioned.

"Lieutenant Commander Reed finally popped the question. Turns out he and Lieutenant Sato had been dating for more than a year. I had no idea they were in a romantic relationship." He laughed a happy laugh. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the amount of relationships that formed among the staff of the _Enterprise_. You two are hardly alone. I can only imagine what reunions will look like." He chuckled again. He suddenly became all business. "Should we begin the examination. T'Pol where will we be doing the examination?"

"Trip has set up a medical station in the guest bedroom. We will be doing the exam in there." T'Pol answered calmly.

_A medical station in the guest bedroom? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the engineer would want to use his skills to safeguard the health of his wife and child. Especially what happened to poor baby Elizabeth._ "Show the way." Phlox smiled a big Denobulan smile.

* * *

"Your son is doing quite well." Phlox smiled up at them. The scans showed that baby boy Tucker was developing normally for a Vulcan fetus. "I would say you have another 2 1/2 months until you need to worry about preparing for labor. It would seem you are having a perfectly normal Vulcan pregnancy. Your son should being to alert you to when he is ready via the parental bond." Phlox looked at them expectantly. "Have you experienced this bond?" He finally asked after they didn't say anything.

"Forgive us doctor such things are very private. However, since you are our physician I see no reason why we should keep this from you." She looked to Trip for reassurance, and he smiled at her. "Our bond with our son is remarkably strong though our own marriage bond is also unusually strong and so it should be no surprise that our parental bond is also strong. After the first trimester of my pregnancy we were receiving a slight interference in our bond which alerted us to the presence of our child. Since the initial bond development it has grown stronger and stronger. Recently, "T'Pol stopped, unsure of how to continue so Trip stepped in to help.

"Recently T'Pol and I have been experiencing dreams. These dreams have been strange to say the least Doc. It would seem our little guy is a pretty talented telepath already. He has shared his consciousness with us while we are sleeping. We've heard his heart beat, we've seen his face, and we've even had conversations with him. I guess the reason we're telling you this Doc is, well, we're wondering if you might be able to stay around for the next two weeks or so because the little guy seems to think it's time for him to be born." Trip had a sheepish look on his face as if even he thought it sounded silly.

"You're telling me that your son thinks he's about to be born? Well, I have a difficult time believing that, but with what I've seen in my time aboard _Enterprise _and in my experience with you I would say that I would listen to our little fetus." He smiled. "So where would you like me to stay? Hmmmmm? Perhaps I can arrange for a room in the Human Sector."

T'Pol answered, "That won't be necessary doctor. You may stay in this room. Trip will remove the medical equipment and store it in our spare office on the other side of the garden." Trip smiled and helped T'Pol off of the bed. "You are welcome to come and go as you please doctor but our meals are served on a regular schedule."

"Yeah Doc, and just wait until you taste T'Pol's pecan pie. The woman has a gift." He smiled down at his wife whose lips upturned ever slightly in the imitation of a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Words of Wisdom

The message light blinked on Archer's desktop computer. He sat down in the seat in front of his desk and clicked on the waiting message. He had to read it four times before his brain actually accepted what he was reading.

_Today, July 28, 2162 at 0835.35 Charles Anthony Tucker IV was born. His parents Charles "Trip" Tucker III and Lady T'Pol of Vulcan cordially invite you to the private naming ceremony on Vulcan on August 5, 2162 at 01230 followed by a quiet reception at the family home. _

"I'll be damned. They pulled the wool over my eyes and now their inviting me to a family gathering." The anger was only slightly eclipsed by the happiness he felt for them. "I wonder if I should get them a gift?" _Maybe I'm in shock?_

The door chime at his front door sounded and he got up from his desk and quickly walked through his apartment. The door opened to reveal Hoshi.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit Hoshi?" He asked as he stood aside and let her into his apartment.

"Have you by any chance received an invitation sir?"

"Hoshi, we're off duty and we're friends, call me Jon. And yes, I just opened my invitation. Are you planning on going to this ceremony?"

She gave his a look of disbelief. "You knew he was alive?! How could you not have told us! I missed him so much! Do you know what the did to me? I haven't even heard from Malcolm, this is going to kill him!" She was clearly very upset. She started pacing and gave him a dirty look at every turn.

Archer put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "Whoa, Hoshi I found out he was alive when I read the invitation. I guess this is their way of telling us all that he is alive. I would only keep this to myself if ordered to. Hoshi," he put a hand on each shoulder stopping her pacing. She slowly looked up into his face. "I didn't know. But now that I do I fully intend on telling him just how pissed I am that he kept this from me." He paused. "Do you think we are expected to bring gifts?"

Hoshi smiled at him and actually giggled. "Traditionally Vulcan naming ceremonies are only for family and close friends. These family and extended family members brings gifts that are to help the parents in the raising the child and in educating him or her as they grow. Logical gifts are to be expected but since little Charlie is half human I guess Human toys and such wouldn't be unexpected. We could go buy gifts together if you need help si-, Jon." She smiled at him.

Archer smiled back down at her. "Sounds like a plan. I have almost as much experience with buying baby toys as I do with babies in general. This is going to be quite the experience."

* * *

Slowly the former senior staff of the _Enterprise_ contacted one another and coordinated their travel plans for their arrival on Vulcan. It seemed that all of Trip and T'Pol's friends were invited as well as Ambassador Soval and Trip's family. The transport that took them from Earth to Vulcan was only filled with attendants of the naming ceremony which allowed for open conversation on the topic of Commander Tucker's apparent death.

A small group of people were gathered around a table sharing a meal. Soval, Archer, Malcolm, Hoshi, and Travis had all gathered to talk about Trip's Lazarus stunt. Soval spoke first. "It would seem that he needed to cast away his true identity for a time. Perhaps he was partaking in an act of subterfuge." All heads slowly turned towards Malcolm.

He looked at all of them. "Well how am I supposed to bloody know? I'm not his handler! You're going to have to ask him that!" He stood up and moved away from the group of friends.

"I'll go," Hoshi stood and raised a hand to stop the others who had already started to rise to follow him.

Travis watched her go. "You think they'll finally start dating? I'm getting really tired of waiting for them to finally admit that they like each other. Ten years is too damn long and I've lost a lot of money on them."

Archer looked at Travis and laughed. "Well Travis I think the fact that they are living together is a pretty good start." The look of shock on Travis's face caused Archer to laugh even harder. Even Soval managed to raise an amused eyebrow.

"I'll be damned. How did I not know? I thought the _Enterprise _rumor mill was still working pretty well. I'm happy for them. How long have they been living together?"

"From what they've told me, they both moved into the same apartment after leaving _Enterprise._ Apparently they even shared quarters during our debriefing after decommissioning. They've been dating secretly for about three years. I guess they had everyone fooled."

"I guess so. Three years! Three _years_?I can't believe Hoshi never told me." Travis almost seemed sad. He and Hoshi were best friends, maybe they had lost touch recently but not for three years.

A soft bell toll sounded letting the passengers know that a ship-wide announcement was being made.

_"Attention all travelers we will be arriving at Vulcan in two hours. Shuttles have already been prepared to take you down to the designated coordinates. All guests must meet at the airlock in 1 hour, 58 minutes from now with all luggage."_

Everyone slowly moved towards their rooms preparing their stuff. The hushed conversations of the excited guests filled the corridors.

* * *

The guests were all deposited in front of the Human Sector on Vulcan. They all had rooms reserved for them. Whoever made the reservations was well aware of who would prefer to room with whom and the rooms were all in the same area of the complex. Soval rented a transport and returned to his own home bid farewell to Archer and his Human companions. The ceremony was the next day and they all needed to buy Vulcan robes.

Archer walked up the front desk of the complex hotel and asked where he and his friends would be able to find Vulcan robes on such short notice.

"Let me pull up a map of the shopping quarter for you Admiral. You and all of your friends should be able to find everything you need for your stay here on Vulcan." The young concierge's hand flew quickly over her station and she downloaded the information onto three PADDs. She smiled a big smile as she handed them over to Archer. "Here you are Admiral. All three PADDs have the same information so you can break up into groups if that makes the shopping easier. Have a good day." Archer accepted the PADDs and gave her a smile and a wink.

"Thank you so much." He turned and walked away. It was time to get this show on the road.

* * *

The large group of Humans looked like an invading force in the shopping quarter. Hoshi and Malcolm walked hand in hand while chatting with the senior Tucker's. Charlie and his wife Caroline were initially in shock at finding out that their son was still alive and had apparently become a father but in true Tucker fashion they bounced back and quickly became the life of the party. Archer and Travis walked side by side chatting and taking in the scenery. Trip's brother Will and his wife Jane each held the hand of one of their children who were skipping and laughing. Amanda Cole was walking very closely to Ambassador Soval and they were speaking quietly in Vulcan. She already owned Vulcan robes, as did the Ambassador, they were just there to share the evening meal with their friends. Archer noticed that they were well within each other's personal boundaries and just shook his head with a chuckle. _Soval and Cole. Stranger things have happened._ _Actually, this one takes the cake._

After everyone had the proper attire and had purchased last minute gifts they all agreed on a place to have dinner. The large party was given a private room at the back of the restaurant and took full advantage of the privacy. The conversation all centered around the ceremony the next day.

"So Soval," Charlie Tucker started, "what exactly is happenin' tomorrow?"

"Well Mister Tucker, Charles, tomorrow your grandson will officially receive his name. It is also tradition for the parents to designate two individuals to bond with the child should something happen to the birth parents. I believe Humans have something similar to this known as god-parents. After the ceremony the friends and family of the parents and child are then able to hold the child for the first time. Each imparts words of wisdom or encouragement to the child and then presents the parents with a gift."

"After this ceremony there will be a gathering for all guests at the family residence as per Human tradition. There you will be able to speak openly to both Trip and T'Pol. Until you are in the privacy of their home you are not allowed to speak to them except about the child. The priests of Mount Seleya will be very strict when it comes to honoring the privacy of the family." Amanda Cole finished. She smiled over at Soval who gave her a small nod. Everyone at the large table noticed but besides the exchanging of small grins and raised eyebrows no one said anything.

"So we can't even talk to Trip until _after_ the ceremony?" Caroline Tucker asked. She seemed pretty put out by that.

"On the contrary. You are able to talk to Charles about your grandson. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is a favorite pastime of Human grandparents. You will simply have to leave personal queries for the privacy of his personal residence."

"Well, I do love to talk about babies." She laughed. "In fact, besides holding babies, talking about them is probably my favorite thing."

"Well no wonder woman, the babies in our family are the cutest on earth and Vulcan." Charlie said. This received a round of laughter from everyone present.

"I remember when Sim was on the ship, Trip was a pretty adorable baby, and a pretty cute kid." Hoshi said with a little bit of a laugh. "You Tuckers sure know how to make them." She grinned and laughed pretty hard especially after she got a look at the face Malcolm was making.

The sounds of laughter filled the whole restaurant and the group slowly made their way back to the human quarter where they said good night to Soval and Amanda as they made their way home.

"Is Amanda Cole _living_ with Soval?" Archer asked Hoshi.

"Yup, and from what I heard him call her, I'd say that they'll be living together for a year. I'm pretty sure they're married Jon. He called her _Adun'a _which means wife. Earlier I heard her call him dear. I guess Trip and T'Pol aren't the only Vulcan-Human couple on this planet." She giggled and walked towards Malcolm who was waiting for her. They walked together, arms at each other's backs and made their way to their room. Archer just shook his head at the thought of the Ambassador married to a Human.

* * *

Mount Seleya stood under the harsh Vulcan sun as a beckon of Logic. All of the preparations for the ceremony had been taken care of and the guests were welcomed by Phlox at the entrance to the ceremonial hall.

"Phlox, I was wondering why you weren't among the guests to travel to Vulcan with us." Archer said by way of greeting as he shook Phlox's hand.

"Ah yes Admiral, you see I was already on Vulcan. In fact I've been here for about two weeks. I delivered T'Pol's baby myself and what a precious little one he is. You'll see what I mean. Once you hold him you won't want to put him down. I though Trip was a cute baby but his son has him beat." Phlox smiled a big Denobulan smile. "We should head in to the hall."

The guests were all lined up on either side of an aisle by rank or age. The family members were all lined up on one side headed by Soval and the friends were on the other side headed by Archer. Hoshi and Malcolm were placed on either side of the raised dais. Every one stood quietly waiting for the ceremony to begin. The gong sounded three times and the doors at the back of the hall opened. The High Priest walked through the doors followed by a blonde Vulcan carrying a bundle. He had the biggest grin on his face and his bright blue eyes were shining. An audible gasp came from several people in the hall as they realized that the VUlcan was in fact Trip. He was closely followed by T'Pol who was practically glowing. The procession was ended by T'Pau who carried the Kir'Shara and their clan shield.

The High Priest stood on the dais and faced the assembly, Trip stood in front of Malcolm who exchanged big smiles and T'Pol stood in front of Hoshi who exchanged nods. T'Pau stood between the couple looking ever so much the leader of a planet.

The High Priest began his speech in English which surprised the guests.

"Gathered here today are the family members of Charles of Earth and Lady T'Pol of Vulcan. A child is a gift that is greatly treasured on Earth and Vulcan. This child, a son of our clan, will be greatly treasured by all present. The child of Charles of Earth and T'Pol of Vulcan will this day be named. Charles, son of Charles and Caroline, T'Pol daughter of T'Les and Tuvar, have you chosen a name?"

"Yes _tela'at_." They responded together.

"Charles, what name do you give your son?"

"Charles Anthony Tucker IV, _tela'at_."

The High Priest took the baby from Trip's hands and held him before the assembly so that all could see him. "Today _kan-bu_ you will be called Charles Anthony Tucker IV. Let this name make you great and bring honor to your clan." The High Priest handed the baby to T'Pol who held him close and looked down at him with affection. The High Priest turned back to Trip and addressed him again. "Charles-kan, have you chosen for your son a pair who will bond and care for the child should you and your mate be removed from life?"

"Yes _tela-at. _I choose for my son Malcolm Reed and Hoshi Sato to care for and bond with him should we be removed from life." Trip smiled at the shocked faces of Malcolm and Hoshi. "I choose them for they are family and will raise my son with the same principles and values that my mate and I wish for our son to be raised with. They are people of true honor and will carry our memory on so that our clan may find honor in our son and he in us."

"Malcolm Reed of Earth step forward." Malcolm did. The High Priest took the baby from T'Pol and handed him to Malcolm who looked at him in awe. "You may now impart your words to the child."

Malcolm nodded, not taking his eyes off of the little bundle in his hands. "Little Man, may you never need to fight for anything other than love. May you always find home at the end of your journey, and may you search the stars with wonder." The High Priest took the child from Malcolm and held him. "Hoshi Sato of Earth step forward." He handed the baby to Hoshi who had tears on her cheeks and a smile on her mouth. "You may now impart your words to the child."

"Charlie-san, you are a child of two worlds. Find balance and belonging on both. Never forget where you come from no matter where you go. Honor your mother and your father, bring them joy and pride. Remember the love you represent and search it out. Live a life worthy of the love you embody. Fill your life with adventure." Hoshi leaned down and placed a gently kiss on the baby's forehead. The High Priest took the baby from her and handed him back to T'Pol.

"The child is now named. As the family moves down the aisle each guest may impart their words to the child. The presenting of gifts will take place at the private home of the Tucker clan." The gong rang again and Trip and T'Pol moved off of the dais and walked over to Soval. The High Priest exited the hall and T'Pau took her position in between Soval and Charlie Tucker.

Soval held the child and looked down at him. His soft dirty-blonde hair and bright blue eyes stared up at him. The elegantly pointed ears and cherubic cheeks were gently brushed by Soval's pointer finger. "Charles-kan, you represent a dear hope for the future. You will always be a symbol of Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. Surak would be pleased." Then Soval did a very un-Soval thing and kissed the baby on the forehead. He then handed him to T'Pau.

T'Pau looked at the child as if she wasn't sure what to do. Being raised by Syrranites who were already adults and had no other children left her unprepared for the experience of holding such a child. She felt the strong emotions of joy and pride welling up within her. Until she had met Jonathan Archer on the journey to uncover the Kir'Shara she had a negative opinion of Humans. Now she was holding a child of a Vulcan and a Human. It felt right and she wondered what it would be like when she finally held a child of her own.

"Child, you are the pride of Vulcan. You will always have a place with our clan. You may always come to me for guidance and support." T'Pau handed the child to Charlie Tucker.

Charlie's face was covered in tears. He held the baby for a moment and handed him to Caroline. They held the baby together and whispered words to the child together. The baby was passed from Tucker to Tucker each holding him and whispering to him. Trip took his son in his arms and walked towards Archer.

Trip stopped right in front of him and smiled. "Thank you for comin' Jon." He handed his son to Archer and watched as each of his old crew mates held his son and spoke words to him.

* * *

The party was in full swing at the Tucker residence. The house had passed down to T'Pol after the death of her mother T'Les. All of the gifts were given: logic puzzles, baby clothes, starfleet uniforms with a Tucker name patch, a copy of the teachings of Surak, a stuffed sehlat, and a few books. Caroline Tucker gave the couple an empty baby book, and T'Pau gave them an IDIC pendant that was small enough to hang on a necklace around the baby's neck. After a few hours T'Pol took the baby inside to feed him and rest. Trip kissed her cheek and gave the baby a gentle kiss on the cheek as they entered the house. He turned from the sight of his retreating wife to face his guests. He had a sheepish grin on his face and held his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"Alright, now why don't we all have a seat and you can ask your questions? I know you've been chompin' at the bit all day." He gestured to the sitting area that had extra seats for all of the guests.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Everyone was surprised that this question came not from Charlie Tucker but from Caroline. "Do you know what it was like losing another child?" She began crying loudly and Charlie held her close.

"Listen son, we're mighty glad you're alive but that shit you pulled almost killed us."

"I know dad, I'm sorry I didn't have a choice, and in case you hadn't noticed, I'm still not able to be the human man I was born to be." He gestured to his ears. "I can't give you all the details but I'll tell you what I can." He told them all about how he was recruited by Section 31 to go undercover and help in the war effort. He then told them about working for the Vulcan government and had just finished his mission. He couldn't tell them about the Romulans or the warp project he had sabotaged on Romulus. He couldn't tell them about the spies in the Vulcan government. He couldn't even tell them _how_ he had faked his death. "Basically, I'm alive and happy and that's all I want you to focus on."

"Can we tell people you're alive?" Will asked.

"No Will, not yet. T'Pol and I agreed on who should know. We're already risking a lot telling you all. Please keep this a secret until we make a public statement. Then you can scream it from the mountain tops if it tickles your fancy. Originally the only people who knew were Phlox because he had to declare me dead, those thugs who 'caused my death', T'Pol because she would be able to sense I was still alive, and the people who gave me my orders. No one in this room knew with the exception of T'Pau, but that came _after_ I relocated to Vulcan and she required my assistance." The sound of a cooing baby alerted everyone to T'Pol's return. She gently handed the baby to Trip and took a seat next to him. Their shoulder were touching and they were both looking down at their son.

T'Pol addressed them without looking up from her son. "We did not wish to deceive all of you. To cause those we cherish so much grief was not easy to do. Now that you all know, we understand it may take some time for you to forgive us. However, we want you all to know that you are a part of our family and we desire for you to be a part of our son's life."

"We understand that this isn't easy T'Pol. We're all happy for you." Malcolm spoke for the group and everyone nodded silently in agreement. "So, what are we going to call the little guy? His granddad is Charlie, his dad is Trip. What's the little man's nickname?"

"Normally Vulcan's do not call their children any name but their given name but since his father is human and _insists_ on being called by his nickname unless he's in trouble or in a formal setting we will be calling our son Tuck." Some people sniggered at the idea of T'Pol calling Trip 'Charles' when he is in trouble.

"Tuck it is." Malcolm said with a smile and moved forward to take baby Tuck out of Trip's hands.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Just go with it

Trip walked through the door of the Vulcan High Council and took a seat on one of the uncomfortable stone benches carved out of the ground there. He settled himself down and took on the practiced air of a Vulcan. The unemotional mask and rigid posture came as a second nature to Trip after living as a Vulcan for nearly two years. Minister T'Pau was still having Trip investigate various members of her administration. Today he expected her to give him another assignment. He wasn't sure but he felt like it was probably going to have something to do with the recent set-backs to the warp research facilities project. Humans and Vulcans were working side by side with full disclosure for the first time in their mutual history. The project was searching for a way to get Starfleet vessels up to Warp 7 in time for the new Defiant-class ships that were on the drafting table. Two weeks ago they seemed to be right on track for their deadline but then all of a sudden they seemed to be five steps behind.

The door opened up across from him and Minister T'Pau's private aid looked at him. Trip stood and walked briskly into the Minister's office. T'Pau was seated behind her desk and glanced up from the PADD in front of her when she heard him enter. Trip stood in front of the desk with his hands clasped behind his back and waited for her to begin speaking.

"Men-hilsu Voras, have a seat." Trip took the seat directly in front of T'Pau and looked her in the face. The fact that T'Pau still needed his assistance should have been disconcerting. The longer Trip had to be Voras the harder it would be for him to become Trip Tucker again. Trip couldn't let it get to him though, he had a planet to worry about, a coalition to protect, and a war to fight. He knew that the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few or the one. He just wished he wasn't always the one.

"I have made arrangements for you to visit the warp research facility tomorrow morning. You will investigate the inconsistencies in their reports and discretely check their equations. If you are able to facilitate a quicker progress towards Warp 7 you will also leave that information with an engineer on our staff who is briefed on the situation. I believe you are acquainted with the engineer, a Lieutenant Commander Hess. She will be your contact at the facility and will assist you in your investigation."

Trip controlled his surprise and excitement over the prospect of seeing Janet again. He calmed his emotions and replied. "Yes Minister. What time am I to report to the facility?"

"0900 tomorrow morning. Lieutenant Hess will meet you in her office for a debriefing before you begin your investigation." T'Pau stood signaling that the meeting was ended. She raised her hand in the ta'al and Trip mirrored her action. "Live long and prosper men-hilsu Voras. Send my regards to your wife and child."

"Thank you Minister. Peace and long life."

* * *

Hess was sitting behind her desk looking down at the stack of PADDs in front of her with barely veiled disgust. Trip gently nocked on the door before he entered. The sight in front of him nearly made him laugh out loud.

"Well, isn't this a change. You sittin' behind a desk and me free to get my hands dirty." He smiled when she looked up after hearing the familiar voice. She looked absolutely bewildered.

"Trip?" She said it with a voice filled with confusion and a hint of hope. "I… but you're…. dead." The last word was a whisper and it ripped through Trip like a photon torpedo. His face took on a look of compassion that seemed out of place on his altered Vulcan features.

"I know Janet, I know. From here on out I'm not Trip or Commander Tucker. Hell, I'm not even human. Only you will know who I really am, but for the purpose of this investigation you need to refer to me as Investigator Voras or just Voras. I'll explain everything some day but for now I need you to trust me and just go along with this act." He thought about it for a moment, his tongue moving around in his cheek and he wiped his hand across his mouth. "How about you come to my house for dinner this weekend? I'm sure T'Pol would like to see you again and you can meet Tuck." He smiled big when he mentioned his son. "He's already lightyears past where I was as a baby. He's a smart one Janet and he's only going to get smarter. With a mom like T'Pol I'm not surprised."

Hess had the biggest smile plastered on her face. "T'Pol? My God you finally married her. It's about damn time Trip!" She had stood up and reached over and socked him in the arm. "I was beginning to think you were the most pig headed man in the universe. Wait? Baby? You have a baby? You don't waste time do you?" She smiled. It was a big huge smile and he returned it with one of his own. She chuckled. "Maybe I'm crazy but I'll go along with it Investigator Voras and I'm looking forward to that dinner. I remember what little Lizzie looked like, you and T'Pol make fine looking children." Once she said it she realized how Trip might still be holding on to pain about the baby. "I'm sorry Trip I didn't mean…"

He waved his hand in front of his face. "It's ok Janet, It's been years since we lost Lizzie. T'Pol and I have grieved. I haven't lost her, we haven't lost her, but we are moving on in order to honor her memory." He smiled a small smile and took a seat in front of her desk. "Now tell me about your warp problems."

She sighed and sat back down. "Well it all started about two weeks ago when we brought in this new guy from Andoria..."

* * *

The warp facility was a thing of beauty. The hum of a warp engine filled the air and Trip could feel the gentle vibrations in the ground as the matter/anti-matter regulators did their work. The whole facility was sterile white and had the feel of a Vulcan architect. The floor plan was very logical and didn't have the illogical aesthetic look that Human buildings had. Trip walked down the corridors and took in the whole place. He maintained the stoic facade and carried a PADD filled with the equation T'Pau had asked him to review. Hess was giving him the grand tour of the place and introduced him to the various scientists and engineers they encountered. The humming became stronger as they moved closer to the room holding the actual engine.

They turned the corner and Trip took in a sharp breath. He walked forward reverently and placed a gentle hand on the casing surrounding the warp engine and smiled a little Vulcan smile. "She's beautiful." He whispered to Hess who chuckled.

"I thought you'd react like this. Want to take a look at the schematics and data?" She almost laughed at the look of pure joy that cross his face.

"You really know a way into a guys heart." He removed his hand from the casing and followed Hess over to the computer terminal. It's a good thing they were all alone otherwise someone might have noticed his obviously emotional reaction to an inanimate object. Trip took in all of the readings with the unemotional professionalism that made him stand apart from other Human engineers and had earned him a spot as chief engineer on the first warp five starship. Trip had always been brilliant and even Vulcans had to admit that he was a genius. Hess just watched him with the same feeling of hero worship and profound respect that she had always had when it came to this man. She thought of him less as a chief and more as a big brother. He never questioned that role in her life and had on many occasions acted as a big brother and confidant. The frown that creased his forehead caused her to stir from her reverent observation.

"Something wrong Investigator?" She needed to keep this professional and he needed to get this engine up and running.

"Yeah, these readings don't make any sense. I think you may have a subroutine sabotaging your readings. Each readout is off by .01 or .02. That's what's causing your issues. The engine sounds like it's working at peak efficiency but the readings are saying it isn't. Everything about the engine feels right and sounds right. The only thing about it that isn't right are the readings. Who is in charge of the programming?"

"Dr. Sorn. He's one of the lead Vulcan engineers for the program."

"Sorn. I would like to talk to him. Can we bring him into your office today?"

"I'll call him in. Anything else?"

Trip kept his eyes on the monitor and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "No. I want to talk to Sorn as soon as possible."

"Well then let's head back to my office and I'll call in Sorn."

* * *

Trip sat in front of his desk monitor and waited for it to light up. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He hated reporting to Harris almost as much as he hated being dead. When the monitor lit up he straightened in his chair.

"Report."

"Sir the facility has at least three infiltrators. I've reviewed some of their readings and have taken an in depth look at their equations and someone in the main engineering section has purposefully installed a subroutine to throw off readings. The other two, one in the acquisitions department and the other on the field theory team are also causing some problems. The only thing is, I haven't figured out who it is yet. Give me a little more time, I'm hoping to draw out whoever else may be behind this so we can get them all at once."

"How are you planning on drawing them out?"

Trip smiled. "I'm going to get that engine running at warp 7 in a week."

* * *

T'Pol stood in the doorway and watched Trip as he tucked their son into bed. His bassinet was softly illuminated by the adhesive stars that adorned the walls and ceiling of his room. The soft sound of ocean waves drifted from the shell shaped speaker on the bedside table that held the small lamp that glowed a gentle white light. Trip was murmuring softly to Tuck and was gently rubbing his stomach. Their son gently drifted off to sleep and Trip watched him for a moment more. T'Pol could feel contentment and love through the bond, whether hers or his it didn't matter, and she basked in its warmth. Trip walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She breathed in his scent, the smell of him was the smell of love, warmth, and home. He kissed the top of her head and then slid his hands down her arms. He grabbed her right hand from behind his back, brought it to his lips and gently kissed it. He held her hand and led her down the hall to their room and she followed him silently.

Once they were in their room and the door had quietly shut behind her Trip turned around and caught T'Pol in a passionate kiss. She hungrily responded to him and began moving her hands down his chest. He was still wearing his Vulcan uniform and she wanted to get it off of him as fast as possible. He pulled her towards the bed never taking his mouth off of hers. She finally unzipped his uniform and he stepped out of it. Her blue silk pajamas, which she only recently could fit in again, were unbuttoned by practiced hands. T'Pol fully opened her mind to the bond and felt Trip do the same. They were one mind and one body and their was no way to describe the feeling of absolute pleasure that coursed between them. They shared each others pleasure, they shared their desire, and the shared their minds. Trip would never admit it but he almost wished he was human so he could have the same strong emotions the T'Pol had. To be able to love with the strength she did was beyond his understanding. He reveled in it and soaked it in. He could never imagine his life without her and didn't want to even try.

* * *

When Trip woke up the next morning he sighed as he stretched his whole body. T'Pol wasn't in bed but he knew that she was in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. He reached out through the bond and felt for Tuck, his son was in the kitchen as well, happily watching his mother cook. Trip smiled and shook his head. If someone had told him 10 years ago that he would be married to a Vulcan, T'Pol no less, and would have a telepathic bond with her and their son he would have laughed at them and sent them to Phlox to get their head checked. He got up and pulled on a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. He walked barefoot to the kitchen and took in the view. T'Pol was busy stirring something in a pot on the stove and Tuck was laying on his back on a blanket in a small play pin in the far corner. Trip walked over and kissed T'Pol on the cheek.

"What's for breakfast honey?" He knew she thought pet names and nicknames were silly. He also knew that she thought being called honey and darlin' made her happy in a very non-Vulcan way, though she'd never admit to that out loud. He felt a sudden surge of happiness through the bond at the sound of the pet name and smiled.

"Oatmeal, toast, and egg substitute. I thought you would like to have a heavy meal this morning since you will no doubt work through lunch." She gave him a look of reproach and turned back to the pot of oatmeal that she was stirring.

"I know you don't like me to skip meals but the sooner I get this job done the sooner I can come home and the sooner I can stop being Voras and start being Trip again." He reached over and cupped her cheek. "I just want to be myself again. If that means skipping a meal or two then that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

"I know you desire a return to normal but I do not want you to risk your health because of it."

"Alright darlin' I'll eat lunch ok? I'll even have Hess promise to call you if I don't, how about that?" He smiled.

"I would not be opposed to hearing from her in any situation but it would be agreeable to know if you were taking care of yourself or not."

Trip sighed. "Right. Oh, Janet is invited for dinner tomorrow. If that's alright with you." Trip felt excitement and had no doubt that it was ok with her.

"That would be agreeable." _Agreeable. Understated as always. _Trip chuckled.

"I'll let her know and have her come by at 1730 tomorrow for dinner. T'Pol, you're burning the oatmeal." She quickly turned back and he suppressed a laugh. _God I love this woman but she isn't a cook. Maybe we could hire someone, or send her to a class? _

"I'll take care of the toast." He smiled. She raised an eyebrow at him and turned back to take care of the oatmeal before it became inedible. _Perhaps__ I should take a class? _


End file.
